A powerful, effective holistic tool: Declan Hammond explains some of the benefits of homeopathy in treating depression

Based on principles known and used since the time of Hippocrates in ancient Greece,
homeopathy, as we know it, was first systematised by a German doctor,
Samuel Hahnemann (1755 -1843) and has since spread worldwide. It is a
safe and effective form of natural medicine that offers a real
alternative to those looking for a more natural approach to healing. In
the hands of a qualified practitioner, homeopathy is a powerful and
effective tool that is truly holistic in its nature.

Over
the last two hundred years, homeopathy has proved itself to be
extremely effective in treating a vast range of ailments, ranging from
acute infectious illnesses to chronic conditions such as eczema,
asthma, arthritis, allergies, neurological and autoimmune disorders.
Emotional trauma, psychological disorders and psychiatric complaints
respond especially well to homeopathic treatment.

A safer medicine

A
homeopath recognises that symptoms of ill health, such as depression,
are merely expressions of an underlying imbalance in the patient's
energy. All the symptoms the patient presents with — physical,
emotional, mental, even spiritual symptoms are seen as manifestations
of this imbalance. Rather than controlling or indeed suppressing these
symptoms, the practitioner will treat them collectively, their totality
representing what needs to be cured, usually with a single remedy.

These
safe, natural remedies, individually selected, are prescribed in minute
doses to stimulate the patient's energies and thereby rectify the
underlying imbalance. By treating the source of the illness in this
way, patients experience a return to health in a gentle way, without
any of the potential complications or dangers of conventional medical
treatment.

Case histories

Anna,
a single woman in her late sixties, presented for treatment with a
diagnosis of depression and anxiety. She was suffering from chronic
insomnia; terrifying panic attacks; intense restlessness; a compulsive
need for order and cleanliness; constant diarrhoea with abdominal
cramps; trembling with weakness in her limbs and heart palpitations.
She was taking five different prescribed medications to treat anxiety,
depression, irritable bowel syndrome, blood pressure and insomnia and
had been drinking up to a half bottle of whiskey every night to get to
sleep.

She is retired from professional
life and had been the sole carer of her aged mother, a long-time
sufferer of Alzheimer's. While under Anna's care, her mother had a
serious fall, was taken into hospital and will remain there for the
foreseeable future. Anna had a "mini breakdown" at that time and all
her symptoms started soon after.

Anna was
treated homeopathically with the remedy Arsenicum album, a remedy often
required by people experiencing intense anxiety, arising from a deep
sense of insecurity and inability to adapt to life's changing
circumstances.

The treatment lasted six
months, at the end of which Anna had come off all her conventional
medication. Her blood pressure and bowel function were normal; she
slept "like a baby"; was free of panic attacks; only drank whiskey
socially. Most importantly for her was a newfound zest for life.
Instead of feeling depressed about her own and her mother's
circumstances, she now sees her life in terms of opportunity and is
excited about what the future holds for her.

Barry,
56, was CEO of a large publishing company. He described himself as "a
born leader" and was at the top of his profession for the last decade.
Despite all the evident signs of success (top of the range car,
expensive clothes and exclusive address), he was deeply depressed and
suicidal. His life was not worth living and the only thing that had
kept him from suicide was the deep sense of responsibility he felt for
the family he would leave behind.

He
worked from an early age, had always been driven in his career to
succeed, to work hard, to achieve the highest goals. But having
achieving all that he had striven for, he found it meaningless.
Suffering from regular angina attacks, with elevated cholesterol levels
and dangerously high blood pressure, Barry despaired of ever getting
well and felt that a heart attack was imminent. He had not told his
family or friends about his condition. This was his responsibility
alone. The fact that he was so ill had proven to him that he was really
a failure in his life. He was responsible for taking care of his family
and employees, was consumed with worry and guilt about what would
happen to them when he was gone and constantly berated himself for not
having been strong enough to shoulder it all.

Barry's
homeopathic treatment was daily doses of the remedy Aurum metallicum,
metallic gold, renowned for its ability to bring people out of deep,
hopeless, often suicidal depression and a treatment for a wide range of
serious heart disorders. Patients needing this remedy often experience
life as an unbearable burden that they alone must carry.

During
his treatment, Barry recognised that his depression stemmed back to the
death of his mother while he was in his teens. Instead of grieving, he
had thrown himself into his work and buried all the pain of her loss.
Over the year he was treated homeopathically, he went through an
intense period of grief and shared this with his wife and close
friends. When he came through this he decided to take early retirement
from his job. Much to his amazement his family were delighted at this.
An incredible weight had lifted from Barry's shoulders and he felt that
his life had just begun. To his cardiologist's amazement, Barr's heart
and circulation symptoms had "disappeared" and his medication was
discontinued.

Finding a homeopath

Despite
being used widely abroad, homeopathy, as a profession, is still
relatively new to Ireland. The study of homeopathy is a demanding one.
Professional training takes a minimum of five years study and
internship before the student can become a registered practitioner.
Unfortunately many medical practioners in Ireland, both conventional
and alternative, use homeopathic remedies with their patients, without
the rigour of such training.

To get the
best quality homeopathic treatment, it is important to ensure that the
practitioner is appropriately qualified, insured and registered with a
professional body, such as the Irish Society of Homeopaths (see below).
In addition it is useful to enquire about the length of time they have
been in practice and what previous experience they have with the
condition that is to be treated.

The homeopathic consultation and treatment

A
first consultation with a professional homeopath will last at least an
hour. During this time a detailed case taking will include details of
all current body/mind symptoms, as well as general questions about the
patient's personality, temperament; personal and family histories.
Lifestyle, stress levels and causative factors will also be touched
upon.

Typically, one remedy will be
chosen to cover all of the above and the patient will be seen at
regular intervals to monitor treatment and results. Frequency of
consultations and length of treatment will vary according to the
patient's individual needs and circumstances.

The
results of homeopathic treatment are surprisingly rapid and can also be
very profound. Patients can expect to experience not only an
amelioration of their symptoms and a return to health but also a
heightened sense of purpose and a deeper engagement with life, in all
its forms.

Declan Hammond is
director and cofounder of The Irish School of Homoeopathy, Dublin. He
practices at The Summerhill Clinic, Sandycove, Co Dublin. Phone/Fax: 01
2020018

Further reading

Discovering
Homeopathy: Medicine for the Twenty-First Century. By Dana Ullman,
Gollancz. A good overview of the topic for the general public.
Emotional Healing with Homoeopathy. By Peter Chappell, Element. A
self-help guide to the use of homeopathy for healing emotional trauma.
Homeopathic Psychology. By Philip Bailey, North Atlantic Books. An
introduction to some of the main remedies used in homeopathic treatment.

Resources

The Irish School of Homoeopathy http://homoeopathy.ie
Provides introductory courses in homeopathy for the general public and
professional training courses, in both Dublin and Cork.
Irish Society of Homeopaths http://irishsocietyofhomeopaths.com
— the professional registering body for professional homeopaths in
Ireland. The website provides a list of trained practitioners
throughout the country. The initials ‘ISHom' after their names are
awarded on registration.

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